Republicans aim high for New Mexico's Latino vote

A Spanish-lanuage ad critizing Obama hit the state's airwaves.

The Republican National Committee is gearing-up a full-court press to court the Latino vote in New Mexico and two other "battleground states" in an effort to unseat President Obama in 2012.

In 2008, Obama won New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada, all of which have a high Latino voting population. Obama won about two-thirds of the Latino vote nationwide that year.

The ad blitz, dubbed "Change Direction," takes familiar shots at Obama, blaming him for bigger government, out-of-control debt and higher taxes. A Spanish radio ad airing in all three states making the same criticisms hit the airwaves July 20.

The RNC won't disclose how much it spent on the TV ad, which also aired in the three states, but an e-mail from the Democratic National Committee says the RNC only spent $7,500, according to CNN.

In an e-mail to supporters, DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse accused Republicans of playing politics and protecting "the same budget-busting tax breaks and loopholes for corporate jet owners, oil companies, and hedge fund masters."